Senators Demand Tinubu’s All-Out War on Terror Over 42 Fresh Deaths in Niger

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Fresh outrage has greeted the killing of no fewer than 42 persons in a brutal terrorist attack on Kasuwan Daji Market in Niger State, as prominent senators Monday demanded that President Bola Tinubu launch an all-out and uncompromising war against terrorism ravaging parts of the country.

The deadly assault, which occurred on Saturday, January 3, 2026, in Demo community, Borgu Local Government Area of the state, saw heavily armed bandits storm the bustling market, open fire on traders and residents, set sections of the market ablaze and abduct several people before fleeing into nearby forests.

Condemning the massacre, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Sani Musa, described the attacks on communities in Borgu and Agwara Local Government Areas as “barbaric and inhumane”.

He warned that Nigeria could no longer tolerate the routine slaughter of innocent citizens.

In a statement made available to THISDAY on Monday, Musa said the assailants not only killed scores of civilians but also destroyed critical community assets.

Some of the properties destroyed, according to him, were the Kasuwan Daji Market and a Catholic Mission House, dealing a devastating blow to livelihoods and social cohesion.

“For far too long, innocent Nigerians have been massacred in cold blood by terrorist elements who operate with impunity from forest enclaves across the country,” he said.

He added that the recurring violence underscored the urgency of decisive national action.

The lawmaker urged President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to declare an all-out and uncompromising war against terrorism, including the full invasion, dismantling and destruction of terrorist networks, camps and supply chains wherever they exist.

“Nigeria must no longer cede any inch of its territory to criminals and enemies of peace,” Musa said.

He called on the armed forces to deploy overwhelming force, intensify aerial and ground operations and dismantle all terrorist hideouts within the forest corridors of Borgu and Agwara.

Also reacting on Monday, the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, condemned the attack as “heartbreaking, senseless and a tragic reminder of the worsening insecurity confronting many Nigerian communities”.

She said: “My heart is heavy as I mourn the innocent men and women who were brutally murdered at Kasuwan Daji Market.

“These were ordinary Nigerians going about their lawful activities, only to be cut down by evil forces that have no regard for human life.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan extended condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Niger State, noting that the burning of the market and the reported abductions had deepened the trauma of already vulnerable communities.

“The destruction of the market and the kidnapping of innocent citizens do not just claim lives; they devastate livelihoods and destabilise local economies,” she said.

She called on the Federal Government and security agencies to act swiftly and decisively to apprehend the perpetrators, stressing the need for a more proactive and intelligence-driven security strategy, especially in rural areas.

“Nigeria cannot afford to normalise these tragedies. Protecting lives and property is the foremost duty of any government,” the senator added.

Both lawmakers prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims and urged urgent steps to restore peace and confidence in Niger State, as public pressure mounts on the Federal Government to end the reign of terror across the country.